Kolkata, 12 December (H.S.) : A fresh spell of cold weather tightened its grip across West Bengal on Friday as strong northwesterly winds and clear skies pushed temperatures further down. After hovering around 15 degrees Celsius throughout the week, Kolkata’s minimum temperature slipped to 14.8 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees below normal, marking one of the season’s sharpest drops.

Several districts also witnessed a significant fall in temperature. On Thursday, Darjeeling recorded 4.5 degrees Celsius, Sriniketan 9.5 degrees, and Alipurduar 9.3 degrees Celsius, reflecting a widespread chill across the state.

According to the Meteorological Department, the cold conditions are expected to persist throughout the coming week. Minimum temperatures are likely to remain close to normal but consistently low, maintaining a steady winter feel.

In West Bengal’s western districts, the minimum temperature is expected to stay between 9 and 12 degrees Celsius, while coastal districts may see temperatures fluctuating between 13 and 15 degrees Celsius.

North Bengal is also set to experience an extended cold phase. Darjeeling continues to hover around 4 degrees Celsius, and other hill districts are likely to remain in the 4 to 6-degree range over the next seven days. In the plains of North Bengal, including Malda, the minimum temperature is expected to settle between 13 and 15 degrees Celsius.

The Meteorological Department added that several parts of the country will also witness strong winter conditions in the coming days, with cold-wave situations expected in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana, while states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha will experience intense chill. Dense fog is likely in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Tripura.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh